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May 1, 1928. 1,668,090

L. SPENCER ART OF WELDING Filed April 6. 1926 2 Sheet -Sheet 1 INVENTOR Lori/0rd \S'ncen ATTORNEYy May 1, 1928. 1,668,090

L. SPENCER ART OF WELDING I lNVENTOR lorll/arq gs'pcncer ATTORNEY 5 Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES LORILLAR-D SPENCER, o F N nw YORK, NL Y.

ART OF WELDING.

Application filed April 6,

This invention relatesto a method and apparatus for use in welding and particularly for use in welding more or less thin structural members such for example as steel tubing. it is well known in the art that structures such as bicycle frames and the like requiring a high ratioof strength to weight :may well be made of pieces of relatively thin steel tubing welded together to form a single integral frame member.

l-nthe-past,however, failures have result- .cd in such structures which were found to have been caused by improper welding. It is easy foranincxperienced welder to applytoo nmchheat to the jointwh'en n'i'akinp a weld, which may modify the physical or chemical nature of the metal, or both, in or near the weld, and cause a decrease in the streng'thof the member so that failure may result under what would be considered a safe load.

-On the other hand, if not enough heat be applied to the weld, this may resultin the formation of what-may appear to be a proper joint, but in realityis not; and such' a joint .is likely to fail under normal load. It is to be noted that in this case the failure is in-the joint itself whereas in the case of failure resulting from excess of heat during the welding, the'failure may take place at a distance from the joint depending upon the changes which have taken place in the metal structure' I f -'My invention contemplates a method and apparatus which will not only indicate to the welder when the proper amount of heat is being used in making a weld,but which will also form a permanent record of whether or not the properamount of heat was used. In other words, my invention contemplates that the welded 'structure'shall carryn on itself at or near the joint, permanent evidence showing unmistakably whether or not the weld was properly made, so that anyone, even one unskilled in the art of welding, may tell at a glance whether the welded member has been properly made.-

Such a method and apparatus has considerable value since it permits the employment of relatively unskilledlabor for welding op erations by providing a simple'and reliable indicator whose showing may be followed by'the workman to produce a satisfactory job. At the same time it afi'ords a ready meansiof detection of improper workmanship whether the same be turned out'by'the Workman through indifference, negligence, or

1926. Serial No.'.l00,035.

for any, other reason. -Further,-' it permits the employment-0f unskilled labor as inspectors of the :finishedfr'rmeS or joints since it is only necessary fortheinspector to note the condition of theindic'atorfi 1 According; {to 1 any invention' I. employ 'a c-fusible: metal b'and: :or block which- 1 attach to the member to be weldediatadpredeten "mined distance from r-the "point; where'=i'the Iejoint'is to be madea Theicomposition"ofthe tfusible metal will be selected so: "that its melting point is at or giust'rzbe'low r the-point --at which :the: structure-of the metal is affected or at which injury occu'rsm'Insiichcase, -if= thezafusibleemetal ban-d or? blockin'elts (in ring. the 1weld, ;it indicates that too? much heat has been; used and (the-"member is" no longer safe for its normal load. I may-also employ a Esecond fusiblefibandior block attachedf in a similar way; toth'e inember to; be

welded but then'coinposition=of -this second bandwor bloclr Iis so chosen that 'its' 'melting point lies at or ijust abo'v e the minimuintempe rature required to make-a5 proper weld.

w Again, l mayucombine' the-two blocks-0r :bands, a's'it were, and usea 'coniposite band or block 20f inetalr halving a melting point "chosen as :described' abovef and having' inserts or parts!lattabhed thereto"of a metal having another imelting point. For exam- 'ple, 'I may-use ia'ban'dor' block having'one part made of metal having a melting point ust at or below the'poilit at which the structure of the metal to be'weldedi's affected, and having-another part made of metal having a melting point just at orabove themelting point required to make'a satisfactory weld.

It is an object ofthisfinvention to provide an indicator which'will show "positively both during'and'after the welding'opera t-ion whether too much ortoo little'heat is being or ha-s been applied whereby relatively unskilled labor may be employed n'ot'only as welders'but' asi'inspectors of the completedwbrk.

- It is a' further object o'f this invention to provide an indicator for the purpose de-' scribed which shall be relatively inexpensive, reliable'and-sturdy.

It is a' further object'of this invention-t0 provide an indicator-ofthe-class 'described which shall-be readily understood 'by-the public and which" will have distinctive characteristics' which th'public may be taught to recognize and interpret. Still'0ther'objects will beapparent from the specification;

Figure 1 illustrates a jump \veld withl a;

simple form of fusible metal band indicator in position according tmmyunvention'; Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the fusi- -ble metal bands shown: inaF-igure-l;

Figure 3- illustrates-the wayiofr-applying the-band shown ini-F'igures- 1 and-'2;

Fig ure t is'a planwiew of'aamodified form of band having circular' insertszofa.-lower fusible metal than the band itself;

Figure. 5a is m-s'ectioni taken: on: the line .,1 g I Figure 6-. is a-bottom'i: viewr of another modifiedi formrofliand. having a: stripwof lowerffusible metal held? in: position-b tfi 'turnedrover-edge-of -the. band; r f

Figure 7'=.is a section :taken. on the" line 7-7=0f'Figure. 6';: 1-

.FigureB is-a pl vieiw'of'aarother:modified: form 1 of band having, tonguesatv both ends and-"provideda with anappropmate legendg:

Figure 9-illustrates one method of fastening'the modified band: sh0wn= in Figures 8 when bent. around the tubinggis Figure; 10-- illustrates another methodi. of fasteningthe. modified'bandy Figure 1lillustrates "87 jump weld with a modified formof heait'zindicator which is held in position ;by-: means of spring-clamps;

Figure 12is an-end'iview'i of same;

Figure :13'is aan endiview of sa'me :after' the weld hasibeen completed; mind: 2

Figure *14 illustrates the-modified form-of heat indicator-i shown in: Figures 1-1, 12 and 13: I

As-illustrated in;Figures-= 1 .2;- 3.14 and 6, thefusible -bands1ma-y for example have-1a tongue 2 located at one-end and. aslot. 3 punched-near the extremity of the other end, said ltongue and slot-. forming means for fastening'the-ba-ndin placeon the=tubing 4 as illustrated in Figures- 1 and -31 w The band 1: is-firsti bent around the-tubingfiallowing the tongue 2 to pass through the slot 3. and the tongue'istheu bent backupon itself-to form a=hook 5. To allowthe slotted -.end of the band; to. come into.contact with the tubing, I have provided a raised portion-fibetween the. slot' zand tlie eud of the band which is-equalto the-thielmess-and width of the tongue 2 '(see- Figure. 3')

The band 1 consists of atusible. metal that Willi-melt. at apredetermined" temperature. lfithe meltingpointmf theband 1 is-thatat which the structure ot;the--metal isatlected the; meltingofl the'bandwhen-the weld is being made indicates that toounuch heatiis being; applied, whereas,.if the proper heat is-Jused', the bands will adhere: to the tubing The form-of band since the inner surface of the bands will become slightly softened 'from the applied heat. On the other hand. if the melting pointof the band is chosen to indicate minimum heat necessary for a good weld, the bandrwill be destroyed by being melted during the welding operation. It will be clear that a! high-melting point band may be used in conjunction with a low melting point band it desired, but this is not as satisfactory as other forms of my invention for the reason that the lower melting point band will be destroyed when a proper weld is made and'therefore will leave no indication-on: the joint. 7

described above-when used"si ngly will givean. indication with reference to-on'ly onetemperature. In order to provide a single band wl-iichiwill indicate when an insulhclent amount-offbeat has been applled'; aswell as whenitoo. muclr is-used,

-I may'f use the modified-form: of. band as i-llustratedin Figure 4 with body'portion 6 and-inserts:7 which are made of a' metal of different melting point than the body 6. The portion 6 may conveniently be of-higher melting point and inserts- 'T-of the. lower .melting point, but clearly the portionsmay be reversed. When the weld has been made the higher melting POl'tlOIYOfE the band will 're'mainupon the tubing as already described,

while the lower melting port-ion willbedestrayed bybeingmeltedz 3 Y r The modified form illustrated in FignreG is a' low and high .heat'. indicator-also;:but -is given at form -which may. :under certain conditions: be, more easily and cheaplyiproaluccd ixr-quantitiesthan that showniinFigures 4 and 5.. It consistsof a -strip ofo'ne meltin'g point metal as 9 held to astrip "of'id itlerent melting point metal 10 by suitable means, such as-turned"edges 12:" Holes-11' may be punched-in portion 10 before assemblin-g'it to portion 9. If 10 is the higher-uwlting inetal and 9 thedowerg-the. portionsfl will be destroyed when aiproper'weldi is imade and the other portionlO-will adhere to the tubing as above described. a

I Themodified bands-'llnstratexl in Figures 4 and 5 may. be applied to the member to be weldedas already described, being provided with tongues 2 and-slots-3' forthe purpose, or other fastening imeans= may be used. For example, Fig. 8 shows; a modified. form of fastening means for. the bands'acc-ording. to my invention. A tongue 2 may be formed on both-ends'of the band and as-shown the bands may be stamped as-at 13- with. a-metal die for inspection oridentification purposes; This modifiedform ofband: may be held tightly around the tubing by means-of a rectangularblockal thavingaslot in its center throughwhich the tongues 2 are passed, said tongues then being bent outward and over the sides to complete the bindiugaction as illustrated in Figure l), or it may be fastened by passing the tonguesthrough a slot in the center of a thin metal plate 15 and then rolling them outward upon themselves as illustrated in Figure 10. This roll may be given the tongues by'meanso't 'round nose pliers or any other suitable means.

Referringto Figure ll .theheat indicator shown in this figure consists of asegmental or arcuate block insteadwif' a hand. 'lwo blocks may be used together on opposite sides of the tubing and held in position hy spring clamps 17. lhe block's may "for example be made up of three sections, a center section 18 and two outer Sections 19 asinost clearly illustratedin FigurelatL The central section '18- may conveniently: consist f'of the higher fusible metal and the two end sect-ions 19 of the lower fusible' meta-h'and suitable markings maybe provided-0n the higher melting metal as at 20.- During-the 'process of welding the lower-fusible metal-:willdnelt away and the higher fusible ccntral=sections will fuse to the :tubing and rcnrainiinposh tion when vthe clamps are removed; as illustrated in Figure 13. 15

The proper distancefromthe .jointj'atwhich to apply the various forms o'f -indicators according to my invention is best found by experience with theZZparticuIar type of members to be welded, the form of indicator used and the constitution of the indicating metal. It is to be noted that the use of indicators according to my invention lends itself readily to a rigid inspection system and a checking up of defective workmanship. F or instance, the supply of indicators may be controlled by one man, who may be chief inspector, who places up the indicators in the proper position on the joint to be made. lVhen the workman turns in the welded joint with the indicators in a satisfactory condition, he may be given credit for the job, but if the indicators are not in satisfactory condition. the workman may be charged for work spoiled.

lVhile I have shown and described certain forms of my invention, it will be clear that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the soirit and scope thereof, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Having described my invention in such manner that those skilled in the art may practice the same and obtain the benefits thereof, I declare that what I claim is:

1. The improvement in the art of welding which comprises applying to the member to be welded an indicator of such nature that will be destroyed by heat suliicient to injure the member to be welded, and applying heat to the joint to be made only in such quantities that the indicator is not destroyed.

2. The improvement in the art of Welding which comprises applying to the member to be welded an indicator eta-fusible "metal which will be destroyed by heat sullicient to injure themember to be'welded, and applying heat to the joint tobemade only' in such quantitiesthatthc indicator is notdestroyed. ii

3. Thesimproveinent'in the art of welding which con'iprises applying to the member to be welded a fusiblemetal-indicator which will be causedLto adhere permanently to the member :to i be: welded on the application of the heat necessary :to smake-i as proper weld, and, .whichwill -h e destroye'ds :by; -...the= a pp.li cation ofhcat'suflicitanbto in'ju're the inembc'r to be welded-wand: applyingito the. joint to be maderheat less 1 than: :thatwsulficient to cause; destruction o'fifchedndieatora. iii-:1: 4. The-improvements in the art bfwvelding which consists in lapplyingito'eth'ei member to be welded an indicator having aliportiorrof such nature that llt'I-NVilli be 1 des'troyed by i the application to-theijoint of ltheguiininlum-heat necessary tmmakiarproper. jwveld and having another portion of sucbi rntit-llleft-llfilivit will be destroyed! the; applicationto thel joint of, heat,- sufficient. to injure theiineniberi to be welded, and applyingit-o. ithejoint ,heat sufficient ito. destroy. the gfirst portion of sufclrim dicator gbut' suflicient idestroy the; second P QDz hQ BCfi-u 1"n' yui iiz." 4.?

5. The improvement in the artof welding which consists in applying to the member to be welded an indicator of fusible metal having a portion so constituted that it'will be destroyed by the application to the joint of the minimum heat necessary to make a proper weld, and having another portion so constituted that it will be destroyed by the application to the joint of heat suflicient to injure the member to be welded, and applying to the joint heat suflicient to destroy the first portion of suchindicator and insufiicient to destroy the second portion there of.

6. An indicator for welding, comprising a member adapted to be secured in position on the member to be Welded and so constituted that it will be destroyed by the application during the welding operation of. heat sufficient to cause injury to the member to be welded.

7. An indicator for welding, comprising a member adapted to be secured in position on the member to be welded and so constituted that it will be destroyed by the application during the welding operation of heat suflicient to cause injury to the member to be welded, and will be caused to adhere permanently to the member if the proper heat is used.

'8. An indicator for welding, comprising a member adapted to be secured in position-on the member to be welded, and having a portion so constituted that it will be destroyed by the application during the welding operation of heat suflicient to make a proper joint; and halving another portion constituted that it will bedestroyed by theepplieation during the welding operationmfheet sufli cient to causewinjnryto the member to be welded.

9. An indicator for welding, comprising 2]. member adapted to be'seeured in position-0n the member to be-weldedj and having av portion so constituted that it \vill:be destroyed by the application during the weldingoperm tion ofiheat-sufiicient' to make a proper joint, and h'zwin another portion so constituted that it wil be destroyed by the-application of heat sufficient during: the Lweldingoperm tion tocause. injury to the member to be welded, and] said. second'l portion: beingso constituted that it will adhere permanently to themember' to Ewel-ded ifthe' proper heatisused. i .11

10. Ainindicator for'welding. comprising a member adapted ito'ibe secured imposition onthe member to be welded and ha'ving'a portion of 'fusible metal so constituted that it will be destroyed by the application during theivelding operation of 'heiit su-flieient to make-a proper joint and having another portion of fusible metal so constituted -that it will bedestroyedby tire-a plication dur-' ing the welding operation 0 heat suflidient to cause injury to the member to be welded said second portionbeing so consd-ituted that it will adhere tothe member to be welded it the proper heat is used 11. An indicator for welding, comprismc a fusible metal band adapted to be secured about the member to.-be welded.

12. An indieator'forwelding, comprising a composite fusible-metal member having: two portions havingdiiierent melting points, adapted-to be secured-t0 the member tobe welded. 2; :;1-

13. A welding. indicator, 'comprising: a fusible metal indicator-adaptedto be secured to the member: to be Welded=andmea nsfor letaining. said indicator inp'osition; 14.: A weldingindiemtoinadapted to'be secured-to the me-mhento-beweldedn and so constituted that it:-\vill;be;destroyed bythe application during-therwelding-operation of heat sufficient toinjure the member to be welded and'beingso-constituted that it will adhere to the member tobeweldeit if the proper-heat is used, and provided with a, suitable legend for indicating that a proper w eld has been made.

In testimony whereof, I-luive' hereunto-set my hand this 3lst d aiyi of March, 1926.

LORiLLAiRD SPENCER. 

